Who says I don’t know Jack?
Jackhammer, Jack O’Lantern, Applejack, Carjack, Hijack, Union Jack, Jack in the Box, Jackpot, the Jack of Hearts…Clubs…Diamonds…Spades.
The name “Jack” is unique in the English language for the frequency of its use as a verb and a noun for many common objects and actions. An article in the Encyclopedia Britannica on the history of the word “Jack” links it directly to the common name: “Jack, a word with a great variety of meanings and applications, all traceable to the common use of the word as a by-name of a man.”
While reading tales about Jack, I remembered the popcorn and peanut treat that came in a box. And even better, it contained a toy prize. Cracker Jack! Yum.
Funny how one story leads into another? Did you know Cracker Jack was a treat invented by two brothers for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair? It was called “Candied Popcorn and Peanuts”. But, there was a problem – the stuff all lumped together. Molasses, popcorn, and peanuts became large masses and were difficult to eat. Being ever resourceful, the brothers hit upon a solution. While each batch was being stirred in a device that looked like a cement mixture, they sprayed it with a little oil. This was a trade secret they kept for many years. One day, while giving out samples, an enthusiastic taster said “That’s Cracker Jack”! Meaning, it is of excellent quality and taste.
The name stuck. In 1912, prizes were included in every box. These were of limited value, and the term “It came in a Cracker Jack box” became a saying for items of a limited value. Pity the poor suitor who’s intended used this term for the engagement ring he gave her!
And Sailor Jack and his dog Bingo who adorns the side of the box? Well, Sailor Jack was a nephew, and he died one year after posing for the logo, at the age of eight. Bingo was a stray dog that showed up one day, and he lived to a ripe old age.
One of the brothers, Frederick Rueckheim, was so enamored of this logo that he had it carved on his tombstone. It still can be seen at St. Henry’s cemetery in Chicago.
The best advertisement for Cracker Jack came in 1908, a song written by Jack Norwith:
Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack
I don’t care if I never get back.
Now I have that song running through my head. And another story along with it.
Who says I don’t know Jack?
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